On Loving God: Lessons on the Life of Faith from Twelfth Century Clairvaux

It is strange the way the Spirit of God moves and converges at times. I have wanted for a while now to tease out a way to share some thoughts gained from one of the greatest Christian spiritual classics I have read. While I would love to find a prayer group or a Sunday class to read and discuss the piece, now, in the wake of GP’s powerful sermon two weeks ago and in light of KM’s article in the Shepherds’ Corner the same day, seems like a perfect time to share briefly some thoughts from On Loving God by Bernard of Clairvaux.

While not perfect, Bernard was one of the greatest leaders in the history of the Church. Bernard was born in Fontaines-les-Dijon, France, in 1090, and at the age of 22, he entered the monastery of Citeaux as a novice. Just three years later he was appointed to begin a new monastery at Clairvaux, where he would guide and supervise a group his fellow monks. His deep spirituality, combined with his personal magnetism and gift as an eloquent speaker, opened many doors to higher positions in the church, but he turned them down to serve his brothers in Clairvaux. Bernard played a major role in the spiritual revival and restoration of the church in the twelfth century and beyond, and he continues to challenge Christians today, driving them to prayerful introspection and reflection on their own relationships with God.

Whether you know Bernard’s name or not, you have likely been theologically shaped and spiritually molded by his work and legacy. Some of you obsessively observant types may recognize his name. A year or two ago, JW mentioned Bernard during some thoughts around the Lord’s Table. Others of you will recognize him as the author of several theologically rich and spiritually powerful hymns that we love, like “O Sacred Head,” “Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts,” and “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee.” His pastoral work and spiritual legacy are powerful. I hope that these reflections on his best known writing will encourage you on your spiritual journey.

Today, I simply want to leave with you an excerpt from the first chapter of this marvelous reflection on loving God. In it he begins to remind us of the centrality of love in the life of faith. In a world were we far too often elevate other things to place of first importance, whether projects, preferences, or even doctrinal purity, his work is a welcome and needed plea to return to loving God “in purity of heart, in sincerity of soul, and in holiness of life.”

You ask me, “Why should God be loved, and how much should we love him?” I answer: the reason for loving God is God himself; and the measure of love due to him is immeasurable love. And why should God be loved for his own sake? Simply because no one could be more justly loved than God, no one deserves our love more. Some may question if God deserves our love or if they might have something to gain by loving him. The answer to both questions is yes, but I find no other worthy reason for loving him except God himself.

God is entitled to our love. Why? Because he gave himself for us despite the fact that we are so undeserving. What better could he have given? If we ask why God is entitled to our love, we should answer, “Because he first loved us” (1 Jn 4.19). God is clearly deserving of our love especially if we consider who he is that loves us, and how great was his love.

For who is God? Is he not the one to whom every spirit bears witness: “Thou art my God: my possessions are nothing to Thee” (Ps 16.2)? His true love is precisely this: that it does not seek its own interests (1 Cor 13.5). And how much does he love us? He so loved the world that he gave his only Son; he laid down his life for us (Jn 3.16). This is the claim that God the holy, the supreme, the omnipotent, has upon humanity. (fr. Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God